Hello Friends,
2015 has started with many healthy changes in our family and I'm excited to share them with you all. The first being the Whole 30 cleanse that my husband and I did together. He needed to make some changes to lower his cholesterol and just feel better all over, so we decided to try the Whole 30. We didn't know what we were in for, but it has landed us on the right track of a healthier and happier life and home. One of the things we had to abstain from on the Whole 30 was dairy (butter, cheese, and milk) of all kinds, which was exceedingly difficult for us both. My husband loves cheese and I love cream in my coffee. I, however, found myself not hating black coffee; something I was not expecting to tolerate. Since not consuming dairy we both feel so much healthier. I know that He has some sort of milk/dairy intolerance (me not so much), but I wanted to take this journey with him in solidarity. So, in our quest to find a good dairy alternative, I've been shopping at our local Whole Foods Market because they are kind and generous to sample me (at no charge) whatever of new milk types that are out there; and believe me, there are a lot! I have tried various types of rice milk, almond milk, coconut milk and most recently today I tried flax milk. Flax milk wasn't even on my radar, but I took one sip of the Good Karma Flax Milk (original) and was amazed how smooth, creamy and slightly and delightfully nutty it tasted! I can tolerate to drink this milk alone; not something I can do with almond milk or coconut milk. The other reason I'm really excited about this milk is that my son, who has a nut allergy, can drink this milk too. Flax is a seed and therefore safe for individuals who may be allergic to other nut based non-dairy beverages.
I hope to get my boys on board the "non dairy" train by making this process of tasting different non-dairy alternatives a "master chef of sorts" experiment. Since my kindergartener already loves to critique foods, I think he'll eat up this food experiment. Just writing this blog post, I"m getting excited to print up a scoring sheet and some sort of a flavor profile sheet that will allow us to analyze and score the different flavors of the beverages we test, and then choose the one we all like best.
I hope you follow us on our journey of tasting different non-dairy milks and let me know if you start your own taste testing journey as well.
Signing off for now,
Dietitian Momma
Monday, March 9, 2015
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
"Brotherly Love"
It has been a long time since I've posted anything on our family blog. Life is so busy with two little boys running around. Henry (just 12 months now) is so close to actually walking so I really will be in for it pretty soon. He just wants to do everything Grayson does. Funny story about this morning...Grayson was calmly sitting in his little rocking chair watching Ratatouille while I made breakfast. I knew Henry was over there watching too, but I didn't think anything of it until I heard him crying a bit. I look over the couch and find Grayson sitting on top of him using him as a chair! I proceeded to give Grayson and time out and rescue Henry from his big brother. Unfortunately this isn't the first time I've found Henry is this compromising position...not the last either, I'm afraid. Boys are an interesting breed. I'm learning a lot about boys (especially since I was 1 of 3 girls). It's so evident that there are huge differences between genders. I just pray everyday that the Lord gives me the wisdom and patience to know how to teach and love these little guys. Happy Wednesday everyone.
We are getting ready to leave on a trip to Mexico so that should be fun and exciting. I'll take lots of pics and post funny stories, as I'm sure there will be some memorable times. That's all for now :)
We are getting ready to leave on a trip to Mexico so that should be fun and exciting. I'll take lots of pics and post funny stories, as I'm sure there will be some memorable times. That's all for now :)
Monday, May 7, 2012
Waiting for baby #2
Yesterday I thought since I was having a lot of false labor contractions that I might have gone into labor last night, but not so. Here I am, still preggo! It's going to be a beautiful week here in the Portland/Vancouver area so I am going to hang outside a lot, do some walking, and just wait :) I'm feeling ready to face this monumental challenge again, head on! I'm planning to do it naturally again without any drugs. I feel that with the right mentality and tools to relax and calm myself, I'll be successful once again.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Looking back on our trip to Oahu, Steve and I had some really great down time together as a couple. It's so nice to step away from the busyness of life and work to come back together and remember the things that are important in this life- your relationships. He's my very best friend (aside from my amazing sisters!) and I need to make sure I get plenty of time and energy to put back into our union.
A couple funny (and unfortunate) things happened on our last day in Oahu that I wanted to share. Tuesday (the day I was leaving) we got up super early because we had decided to go snorkeling and the famous Hanauma Bay. We left by 7:15am, just after sunrise, and headed east on the highway. It was a 30 minute drive to the State Park. I was using google maps on our iPhones to help us navigate, getting more and more excited the closer we got. We turned the bend and saw orange cones at the entrance. "Park Closed on Tuesday". Nooooo! It was our last day! How could the park be closed!! At this point, Steve and I vaguely remembered the concierge telling us the park was closed on Tuesdays, but hadn't thought about it that morning until we got there. I was sooooo bummed! I really wanted to snorkel with the fish. My friend Deb had told me the day before how amazing all the fish were and how they would just swim right up to you! My excitement was dashed! Here it was at 7:45am. I was up. I had my bikini on and I was ready to go. Oh well, guess we had to just head back to Waikiki instead.
We went back to our hotel and got showered and ready to go and then headed back to The Diamond Head Market and Grill for another fabulous breakfast of Banana Pancakes with Coconut Syrup! We pulled up to the joint and put in our order and visited with the lady, Lani, who remembered us from the day before. Promptly after we ordered we noticed a closed sign in the window. Man! We made it just in time for breakfast. They stopped serving at 10:30. So glad we didn't miss out on those amazing pancakes too! I'm definitely going to try to duplicate them at home!
We headed for the airport and momma was happy with a full belly and an amazing time with my hubby fresh in my mind. I can hardly wait to go back with Grayson when we can all go snorkeling together! Mom promised to come watch the new baby...I'm going to remind you of that conversation mom :) Don't think they will think twice!
Mahalo!!
A couple funny (and unfortunate) things happened on our last day in Oahu that I wanted to share. Tuesday (the day I was leaving) we got up super early because we had decided to go snorkeling and the famous Hanauma Bay. We left by 7:15am, just after sunrise, and headed east on the highway. It was a 30 minute drive to the State Park. I was using google maps on our iPhones to help us navigate, getting more and more excited the closer we got. We turned the bend and saw orange cones at the entrance. "Park Closed on Tuesday". Nooooo! It was our last day! How could the park be closed!! At this point, Steve and I vaguely remembered the concierge telling us the park was closed on Tuesdays, but hadn't thought about it that morning until we got there. I was sooooo bummed! I really wanted to snorkel with the fish. My friend Deb had told me the day before how amazing all the fish were and how they would just swim right up to you! My excitement was dashed! Here it was at 7:45am. I was up. I had my bikini on and I was ready to go. Oh well, guess we had to just head back to Waikiki instead.
We went back to our hotel and got showered and ready to go and then headed back to The Diamond Head Market and Grill for another fabulous breakfast of Banana Pancakes with Coconut Syrup! We pulled up to the joint and put in our order and visited with the lady, Lani, who remembered us from the day before. Promptly after we ordered we noticed a closed sign in the window. Man! We made it just in time for breakfast. They stopped serving at 10:30. So glad we didn't miss out on those amazing pancakes too! I'm definitely going to try to duplicate them at home!
We headed for the airport and momma was happy with a full belly and an amazing time with my hubby fresh in my mind. I can hardly wait to go back with Grayson when we can all go snorkeling together! Mom promised to come watch the new baby...I'm going to remind you of that conversation mom :) Don't think they will think twice!
Mahalo!!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Babymoon in Oahu!
Steve and I have decided it would be a great way for us to remember fun family adventures by creating a blog. We are happy to share our family trips, memories, and funny stories with you as our family grows up, expands, and enjoys life!
Steve and I are currently in Oahu (sans Grayson) enjoying some downtime together and enjoying all that the island has to offer us. We had a great day yesterday as we drove around the whole island. I took lots of photos, which will be posted here, and we took in the sights, smells, and delicious food of this tropical paradise.
We started our Hawaiian getaway (on Saturday January 14th) with a sunset dinner cruise along the beautiful Waikiki coastline with views of the Honolulu Skyline and Diamond Head Mountain. It was a little on the cheesy side (maybe we were tired from just getting off a plane) but we laughed and enjoyed all the crazy Japanese tourists living it up! One young dad in particular was not afraid to get out there and dance and try to get everyone else to join him. The sunset was particularly amazing that night. One couple who had been on the island a few days mentioned it was the most beautiful sunset they had seen yet! We both love to be on the water and enjoyed our time immensely!
Sunday morning we grabbed a yummy cup of coffee and took a stroll along Waikiki Beach. We were feeling quite adventurous and thought we would take a drive around the island. Neither Steve nor I had been to the other parts of the island so we set off on a "3 hour tour..a 3 hour tour..." We had no agenda just to drive and see whatever we saw along the way. We saw one of the most amazing beaches ever with the contrast of that dark volcanic rock dropping right into the cool blue ocean and the gorgeous white sands of the beach. It was so windy there that from our view point (off the road) I had to brace myself onto the guard rail to help keep my camera steady.
We meandered our way around the island finally making it to the famous North Shore. We had heard that eating at a "Shrimp truck" was the way to go. We had one truck on our radar, but when Steve saw signs for BBQ corn, which happened to be right next to Giovanni's Shrimp truck (and a huge lot of cars) we chose to stop there. What an amazing stop it was! We both ate 2 ears of corn ($3 each), 1 bag of coconut ($2), 1 bag of freshly sliced Papaya ($2). We walked over to the shrimp truck to find we only had enough money left over for 1 full order of the Scampi Shrimp and a half order of the shrimp with lemon and butter. Steve was a little cranky thinking we had drove 3 hours only to have to share a meal...much to his surprise we both had plenty to eat and left very satisfied!
We were on the North Shore so I wanted to check out the famed Turtle Bay Resort. I was not overly impressed with the resort, but they had a lovely beach where we camped out all afternoon and soaked in the sun and cool water.
We showered off on the beach and then changed our clothes in the car- all fresh and ready to continue our adventure in the cute surf town of Haleiwa. We had a wonderful dinner at Haleiwa Joe's and enjoyed another beautiful sunset. The rain came down on our way home, but we pulled into Waikiki tired and feeling fulfilled from a fun-filled day.
It's Monday morning MLK Day. There is a parade going by our hotel this morning so people already have their chairs set up to see the event. We decide to walk on foot to this great breakfast place I found on yelp. Diamond Head Market and Grill was off the beaten tourist path (which I was happy about) and amazing food!! We spend $28 for an amazing breakfast. Steve had to get a Loco Moco and I was dying to try their Banana pancakes. They also served Peet's Coffee so we knew it was the place for us! A wonderful little joint at the base of Diamond Head Mountain; not a bad start to a wonderfully sunny and warm morning.
It was time to walk back to Waikiki but my new TOM's shoes, that I decided to break in this morning on our walk, were already giving me blisters. We saw a city trolley approaching and happily jumped on for a $4 ride back to our hotel. I think the combination of a long drive yesterday and a lumpy uncomfortable bed had caused my hips to go into spasm again. This momma was not feeling too hot. Thank God my dad told me I could take Vicodin!
Now it is lunch time and after laying on heat and ice and catching a quick nap, this adventurous twosome are ready to hit the island again! We are in search of a snorkel spot so are heading to Haunama Bay.
If you have stuck with me on our first blog post, Thank You! I know it was a long one, but I figured, if anything I can look back on this trip and really enjoy the memories more if I remembered some the of the small details that I would have otherwise forgotten.
My point in keeping this blog is to document adventures both big and small in our everyday lives. Most days our life with a toddler and one one the way is not very exciting, but I figure if I can find beautiful things along the way to enjoy and remember, it will make this thing called life a lot more enjoyable and memorable.
Steve and I are currently in Oahu (sans Grayson) enjoying some downtime together and enjoying all that the island has to offer us. We had a great day yesterday as we drove around the whole island. I took lots of photos, which will be posted here, and we took in the sights, smells, and delicious food of this tropical paradise.
We started our Hawaiian getaway (on Saturday January 14th) with a sunset dinner cruise along the beautiful Waikiki coastline with views of the Honolulu Skyline and Diamond Head Mountain. It was a little on the cheesy side (maybe we were tired from just getting off a plane) but we laughed and enjoyed all the crazy Japanese tourists living it up! One young dad in particular was not afraid to get out there and dance and try to get everyone else to join him. The sunset was particularly amazing that night. One couple who had been on the island a few days mentioned it was the most beautiful sunset they had seen yet! We both love to be on the water and enjoyed our time immensely!
Sunday morning we grabbed a yummy cup of coffee and took a stroll along Waikiki Beach. We were feeling quite adventurous and thought we would take a drive around the island. Neither Steve nor I had been to the other parts of the island so we set off on a "3 hour tour..a 3 hour tour..." We had no agenda just to drive and see whatever we saw along the way. We saw one of the most amazing beaches ever with the contrast of that dark volcanic rock dropping right into the cool blue ocean and the gorgeous white sands of the beach. It was so windy there that from our view point (off the road) I had to brace myself onto the guard rail to help keep my camera steady.
We meandered our way around the island finally making it to the famous North Shore. We had heard that eating at a "Shrimp truck" was the way to go. We had one truck on our radar, but when Steve saw signs for BBQ corn, which happened to be right next to Giovanni's Shrimp truck (and a huge lot of cars) we chose to stop there. What an amazing stop it was! We both ate 2 ears of corn ($3 each), 1 bag of coconut ($2), 1 bag of freshly sliced Papaya ($2). We walked over to the shrimp truck to find we only had enough money left over for 1 full order of the Scampi Shrimp and a half order of the shrimp with lemon and butter. Steve was a little cranky thinking we had drove 3 hours only to have to share a meal...much to his surprise we both had plenty to eat and left very satisfied!
We were on the North Shore so I wanted to check out the famed Turtle Bay Resort. I was not overly impressed with the resort, but they had a lovely beach where we camped out all afternoon and soaked in the sun and cool water.
We showered off on the beach and then changed our clothes in the car- all fresh and ready to continue our adventure in the cute surf town of Haleiwa. We had a wonderful dinner at Haleiwa Joe's and enjoyed another beautiful sunset. The rain came down on our way home, but we pulled into Waikiki tired and feeling fulfilled from a fun-filled day.
It's Monday morning MLK Day. There is a parade going by our hotel this morning so people already have their chairs set up to see the event. We decide to walk on foot to this great breakfast place I found on yelp. Diamond Head Market and Grill was off the beaten tourist path (which I was happy about) and amazing food!! We spend $28 for an amazing breakfast. Steve had to get a Loco Moco and I was dying to try their Banana pancakes. They also served Peet's Coffee so we knew it was the place for us! A wonderful little joint at the base of Diamond Head Mountain; not a bad start to a wonderfully sunny and warm morning.
It was time to walk back to Waikiki but my new TOM's shoes, that I decided to break in this morning on our walk, were already giving me blisters. We saw a city trolley approaching and happily jumped on for a $4 ride back to our hotel. I think the combination of a long drive yesterday and a lumpy uncomfortable bed had caused my hips to go into spasm again. This momma was not feeling too hot. Thank God my dad told me I could take Vicodin!
Now it is lunch time and after laying on heat and ice and catching a quick nap, this adventurous twosome are ready to hit the island again! We are in search of a snorkel spot so are heading to Haunama Bay.
If you have stuck with me on our first blog post, Thank You! I know it was a long one, but I figured, if anything I can look back on this trip and really enjoy the memories more if I remembered some the of the small details that I would have otherwise forgotten.
My point in keeping this blog is to document adventures both big and small in our everyday lives. Most days our life with a toddler and one one the way is not very exciting, but I figure if I can find beautiful things along the way to enjoy and remember, it will make this thing called life a lot more enjoyable and memorable.
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